Town Pop. 2,375

Living in Craven Arms: Liveability Score 41/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Craven Arms comes out at 41/100 on the 9 categories we can score here. The biggest shortfall against other towns is economic health: 47/100 versus a median of 67/100. That places it last of the 3 scored places in the SY6 postcode district.

Its healthcare score runs 13 points above the SY6 district's 17/100. That is 9 points below the national benchmark of 50, the middle half of all UK towns and villages. Schools (11), transport (18) and lifestyle (27) all fall below 30/100. The same breakdown for the wider area is on the SY6 postcode district.

41
OUT OF 100
Below Avg
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Craven Arms scores 41 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Craven Arms.
Or compare:
SY6 6AA SY6 7AA SY6 SY7 SY9

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
77
106.1 crimes per 1,000 residents · last 12 months Above the England & Wales average of 94.3
Crime rate vs national average · last 12 months
Violence and sexual offences 117 crimes
↑ 48% above national average
Anti-social behaviour 46 crimes
↑ 28% above national average
Other theft 22 crimes
↑ 50% above national average
Criminal damage and arson 14 crimes
↓ 13% below national average
Public order 10 crimes
↓ 35% below national average
other 43 crimes
Highest-crime locations
Loading map…
  1. 1 Mynd View 25 crimes
  2. 2 Halford Crescent 14 crimes
  3. 3 Station Crescent 14 crimes

Source: data.police.uk · England & Wales only

Environment
68
Air Quality NO₂ 3.3 · PM2.5 4.9 · PM10 8.8 µg/m³
81
Green Space 36
Parks Ample 6
Sports Pitches Some 1
Allotments None
Golf Courses None
Tennis Courts None
Bowling Greens Some 1
Playgrounds Adequate 5

Services

Schools
11
1 school in area · 2 within 4km
1Good
  • Stokesay Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2021
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
30
A&E departmentsRoyal Shrewsbury Hospital18.1 mi
Princess Royal Hospital22.8 mi
Hereford County Hospital26.7 mi
Hospital waitsMidlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust0.3 mi
Routine referral (median)4 wks
Treated within 18 weeks92.8%
1 GP surgery in area best 'Good'
GP capacity1,418 patients per GP
1dentist1pharmacy

Score reflects proximity to CQC-rated GP surgeries and hospitals, not facility count. Dentists and pharmacies are shown for context but don't affect the score.

Broadband
45
Full fibre (FTTP)72.7%
available across Shropshire
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
82.5%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
82.5%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.4%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 83 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
47
Employment rate54%
Below the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed54%Unemployed2.1%Retired30.4%Student2.4%Other inactive11.2%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial32.1%Skilled & technical36.4%Routine & elementary31.6%
Highest qualification (16+)
No qualifications19.7%Level 1 (1–4 GCSEs)10%Level 2 (5+ GCSEs)15%Level 3 (A levels)16.1%Level 4+ (degree & above)28.9%Apprenticeship7%Other (incl. vocational)3.4%
Home ownership62.3%
Among the most-deprived 34% of areas in England
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
39
Council tax Shropshire · 2026-27
A £1,685
B £1,966
C £2,247
D £2,528
E £3,090
F £3,652
G £4,213
H £5,056
Energy South Wales region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band D
Water Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Average bill regional £502/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
18
Craven Arms 0.1 mi
Broome 2.3 mi
Hopton Heath 4.7 mi
J7 M54 21.2 mi
J7 M54 21.4 mi
J6 M54 22.4 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
27
Pubs & Bars Some 2
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 6
Supermarkets & Convenience Adequate 2
Retail Shopping Ample 24
Takeaways Adequate 6
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Current median sale prices · last 12 months · England & Wales only

Type Median price Sales
All dwellings £262,500 16
5-year monthly trend
All
£184k £214k £246k £277k 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (OGL v3.0)

Nearby places

Leintwardine 32 5.7 mi away ⇄
Bedstone 0 6.0 mi away ⇄
Church Stretton 46 6.8 mi away ⇄
Ludlow 49 7.2 mi away ⇄
Bucknell (Shropshire) 34 7.4 mi away ⇄
Rockgreen 53 7.4 mi away ⇄
Bishop's Castle 35 7.6 mi away ⇄
All Stretton 46 7.9 mi away ⇄
Sheet (Shropshire) 53 8.2 mi away ⇄
Clun 37 8.2 mi away ⇄
Wigmore 36 8.8 mi away ⇄
Ashford Carbonell 35 9.6 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Craven Arms a nice place to live?

Craven Arms has some challenges compared to many UK areas. Our liveability score for Craven Arms is 41/100, placing it among a below-average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

How safe is Craven Arms?

Craven Arms is a relatively safe area to live. Our safety score is 77/100. There were 252 crimes recorded in the area over the past 12 months.

What are the best schools in Craven Arms?

Among the top-rated schools in Craven Arms is Stokesay Primary School, rated Good by Ofsted. There are 1 rated schools in Craven Arms in total.

What are house prices like in Craven Arms?

The current median house price in Craven Arms is £262,500, around 8% below the England and Wales average. Over the past five years, prices have risen by around 40%.

Craven Arms in context

See the best places to live in Shropshire, ranked

Postcode districts in Craven Arms

SY6 39 ⇄
SY7 34 ⇄
SY9 36 ⇄

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